Hello everyone I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy with schoolwork because I've been sick. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I know I did. Here's the newest chapter. I hope you like it.

Chapter 4 Birthday Bash

Thursday,October 2 finally came around. It is my 14th birthday and also three days since Butch and I started dating. The others didn't know that we were together so we were going to tell them today at lunch. Unfortunately Himeko knew so who knows what will happen. I met up with them by the front door of the school.

"Happy Birthday Kaoru!" All five of them yelled. I smiled at them.

"Are you ready to tell them at lunch?" Butch whispered. I just simply nodded. Then the bell rang and we went to class.

At lunch Momoko's mom brought subway for the six of us. We were eating when suddenly Himeko yells, "Yes Buthcy poo I will go out with you!" She kisses him on the lips and walked away smirking.

"Uck! Why did she do that?" He asked me.

"You and Himeko are DATING!" Miyako shrieked.

"What NO! Kaoru and I are dating; not Himeko and me!" Butch yelled back at Miyako.

"Aww I knew you liked Kaoru all along." Boomer said. Then everyone started asking us questions and we answered all of them.

"Hey Kaoru, do you want to come to my house at 7:00 tonight?" Miyako asked me.

"Sure but why?"

"You'll see later. So yes?" I nodded.

"Yay and wear a dress too." Momoko said.

"Hell no!" I shouted.

"Please." They begged.

"Nope."

"Come on." Miyako said. Momoko whispered something in her ear. "Okay sounds good." I looked at their smiling faces and knew that they were planning something.

That night at Miyako's house.

Everyone was at Kaoru's surprise birthday party waiting for her to show.

"Okay when she comes in I want you to shout surprise." Miyako said. Everyone nodded and started talking to each other.

Kaoru's house.

I heard the doorbell ring and my mother opened the door.

"Hello Ms. Matsubara. May I come in?" Momoko said.

"Why yes dear. Kaoru is in her room."

"Okay thanks."

"No problem."

I heard foot steps coming towards my room. "Kaoru it's Momoko. Let me in."

I opened my door and Momoko went straight for my closet.

"What the fuck are you doing!"

"You'll see. Man you have nothing nice to wear." She said looking. "Found something!"

She pulled my dress that I wore to the funeral and froze.

"Please don't make me wear that."

"Why not?"

"That was the dress that I wore to the funeral."

"Oh. I'll look for something else." She looked at the back of my closet and found a dark green blouse and a long black skirt that Miyako gave me and never wore. "This is perfect." She said. I got scared because I knew exactly what Momoko was going to do. She took off all of my clothes and I was left with my bra and panties. I tried to fight her but she took the upper hand. She put the blouse over my head and pulled my arms through the holes. I started smacking her, but she didn't budge. She put the skirt on me. She left the room for a moment.

" Ms. Matsubara can I borrow a pair of your sandals?" Momoko asked

"Sure but they are a size 9 1/2. I don't think they'll fit you." Mom replied and looked at Momoko's feet.

"Oh they're not for me. They're for Kaoru."

"Oh okay that's fine. Good luck getting them on her."

" Thanks, I'll need it."

She came back with a pair of black shiny flip-flops. I gave her the death glare.

"Oh come on Kaoru." She said kneeling down near my feet. I kicked her and she slapped me. I lost again to my dismay and I looked at the flip-flops.

"Kaoru, your brothers and I are going to the store. Have fun at Miyako's house." Mom shouted.

"K I'll see you at 11:00." I yelled back. Momoko led me to the bathroom and plugged in the straightener. "Hell no. You are not coming near me with that." Momoko just ignored me and started straightening my hair. I knew I couldn't fight back, because if I did I would get burned. I sighed in defeat. A few minutes later we were done and Momoko changed into her dress and fixed her hair since I messed it up when we were fighting. We walked out the door and walked to Miyako's house. Momoko didn't say a word to me and I really didn't care. We headed toward the front steps of the house and Momoko opened the door.

"Suprise!" everyone I knew shouted. Brick, Miyako, Boomer, and Butch came up to Momoko and me.

"Miyako you better like what Kaoru is wearing. I sat there getting cussed, kicked and slapped at by her." Momoko said.

"She looks great." Miyako replied.

Butch cam up to me his hugged me. "Why did you fight her?"

"I absolutely hate dressing up."

"Well I don't what you wear. You look beautiful in everything." He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"What if she decided to wear an outfit made of broccoli?"

"Brick don't ruin the moment." Momoko said and nudged him with her elbow.

"You know I was kidding." He said and wrapped his arms around Momoko.

"I know." She said and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Well I don't know about you guys but I'm going to start cutting the cake and handing Kaoru the presents." Miyako said.

"What kind of cake?" Momoko and Brick asked.

"Kaoru's favorite. Chocolate cake with white icing and chocolate chips on the sides of the cake. My grandma made it so I bet it's really good." She gave everyone a piece of cake and we started eating it.

'Ohmygod. This cake is AMAZING!' I thought as I took a bite. The cake was really moist and white icing was homemade and the chocolate chips just top it off to perfection. After we ate the cake Miyako made me sit in a big chair to open presents. I opened Miyako's gift from her and her grandmother. It was a new lime green soccer ball.

"Sweet thanks Miyako!" I said.

"You're welcome!" She smiled. Next, was Momoko and her family's gift. They gave me a new skateboard. It was a green skateboard with a black flame on the back side.

"Thanks Momoko. I needed a new skateboard after my other one broke." She just smiled. Boomer and Brick gave me money and a gift card. Butch gave me a necklace that had his name on my part of the charm and he had the other part that said my name on it on his keychain.

"This is sweet, but you know I don't wear jewelry."

"I thought you might make an exception." Butch said and put the necklace on me.

"I love you." I whispered.

"Love you too." He said softly.

I opened the rest of my presents and then my mother gave me their present.

"This is from your brothers, your dad, and I." She said.

"How is it from Dad?"

"Just open it and find out." I opened it and it was a photo album. On the first page was a letter.

'Dear Kaoru, if you are reading this then I must be gone. I just want to say Happy Birthday. I don't know how old you are, but I know it's your birthday. I told your mother that when I pass I want to give you this on the next birthday. In this album there are many pictures from the day you were born to the day I died. I love you so much Kaoru and I wish I didn't have to leave you, your brothers, and your mom.

Love always,

Dad'

I slowly turned the pages of the album and looked at the pictures. They were of the whole family, him and I, and just my brothers and I. I smiled and hugged my mom and my brothers.

"Thank you so much guys. This is the best present I've received." The rest of the night everyone danced. I went up to Miyako's room and looked at the album. I heard a knock on the door and Butch came in.

"Are you okay Kaoru?" I nodded. "No you're not. Please don't lie to me. What's wrong? I can see it in your eyes."

"Well you see my dad was always a role model to me. I looked up to him. The day he died was the worst day of my life. I died inside and my heart broke into a million pieces. My dad was my best friend. I just miss him so much." I said. He hugged me and I smiled.

"I know how you feel, Kaoru. You're not alone." Butch said.

"Huh? You lost a family member?"

"Yeah. I don't like to talk about it."

"Okay. I want you to meet me of the school tomorrow at 3:10."

"Okay." We went downstairs and talked to the others.

"Hey Kaoru." Miyako said and hugged me very tight.

"When did you get so strong?" I said gasping for air.

"Apparently I've gotten stronger from the chemical z." She whispered not wanting the boys to hear. "You and Momoko have also gotten stronger." That time she said it in her normal voice. Momoko knew what we were talking about but the boys didn't have a clue.

"What did she say to you?" Butch asked.

"Uhhh. It's just something that you boys don't need to know about us." I replied.

"Is it something bad?"

"No. It's just that if we told you your lives and our lives would be in danger."

"Okay."

An hour later the party was over. My mom and brothers left thirty minutes ago. The boys said goodbye to us and said happy birthday to me then left.

We helped Miyako's grandmother clean up. When we were done we took all of my gifts to my house.